I.C.E.D.A.R.T.S Session 3: Accountability and Reward
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Accountability - how do I make myself and my team accountable?
The word ‘accountability’ often scares staff and management alike! Staff face uncertainty and managers struggle to set clear expectations.
And yet, if done well, accountability is something we crave! Why? Our two basic responses to others are attraction and repulsion. If we receive genuine praise, we experience a feeling of attraction – it is a positive experience! If we are unjustly criticised, we want to run! We generally avoid confrontation and conflict – especially with authority figures. They may adversely affect our income and financial wellbeing (and our psychological wellbeing)!
One of your most important responsibilities as a manager is to make yourself and others accountable. The behaviours you walk past are the ones you accept. You set the standard and are expected to ensure others adhere to it. People will be influenced more by your behaviours than what you say.
Once you identify suitable goals for your team, ensure you set regular times when you can objectively discuss progress. If there is a variation to the expected performance, inquire about it promptly, obtain factual information and discuss the true reason for the variation and the steps needed to regain the required level of performance.
Reward – what are the appropriate rewards for teams and team members?
Perhaps the most significant reason to make people accountable is to enable you to genuinely reward them for excellent performance.
The field of “appropriate rewards” is rich with theories and opinions. “The best way to reward the team is….”, often generates endless ideas. What is generally acknowledged is that monetary rewards are classified as satisfiers and not motivators. Once we have sufficient remuneration for our desired lifestyle, we start to value other forms of reward. This is where leadership steps in. Many rewards cost nothing but an investment of time.
In life and work, there are 2 essential requirements for us all - to be valued and to be cared for. To know we provide value to the team and to know the team will take care of us. This is true at home and at work. Without either of these, we are likely to rebel, lose interest or simply leave.
I am often reminded of the truism that people leave their boss – not their organisation. If you follow the ICEDARTS principles and provide a healthy workplace for your staff, you are much more likely to retain them or have them return at a higher/more experienced level after a stint elsewhere.
Consider: How healthy is the workplace/area you have created? What would others say? How can you appropriately reward team members? It is a critical piece of the leadership puzzle.
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